Features

The new coalition government gave its first speech on the subject of green cars at the LowCVP Conference in London this week.

OK, so we didn't do a direct comparison test of a smart versus a Porsche, however the 2010 SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) Test Day did allow a huge range of green versus not-so-green cars to be compared. So what did we learn from this?

The GreenFleet Arrive 'N' Drive event, in association with TRACKER, aims to allow fleet buyers to test a range of the latest green cars in a somewhat unusual setting, around a racetrack; so what were the top low emission choices on offer for fleets?

The Nissan LEAF will be the world's first affordable, mass produced, zero emission five-seater hatchback, and Green-Car-Guide has driven the final pre-production prototype.

The UK's first Low-Carbon Economic Area for Ultra-Low Carbon Vehicles is in the North East, so what does this mean, and how did this region make this happen?

The most important issues surrounding today's and tomorrow's green cars were explored at the 2010 Green Vehicle Congress, ranging from the results of the first electric vehicle trials, to which technologies will power our cars in the future.

New Vehicle Tax rates come into force in April 2010, with low emission cars becoming cheaper to tax, higher emissions cars becoming more expensive to tax, and new high emission cars will also be subject to a new showroom tax of up to £950.

Green cars are one of the key areas that will help the UK move towards a low carbon economy - but what are the other top sustainability hot topics?

The Geneva Motor Show has a 'Green Pavilion' but there's really no point having this area because there are green cars on all the manufacturers' stands, ranging from electric city cars to highly efficient performance cars. There are in fact far too many green cars to mention them all, so here's Green-Car-Guide's Top 20 Green Cars at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, in order of importance and/or coolness.

The government has already said it will give grants of up to £5,000 to people who want to buy ultra-low carbon cars, but more details about the scheme have now been confirmed. Here's a summary from Green-Car-Guide.com of everything you need to know about the 'Plug-In Car Grant' scheme.